You need to remember where you have been.
You need to remember where you are.
You don't need to know where you are going.
You don't need to know where you will end up.
Recognize the familiar.
Take advantage of the unknown.
Welcome to my Cup of Cosmos. Enjoy!
(and if you need a second cup, check out my other brewing blogs under my profile)

Monday, May 21, 2012

Why I love Portland

This is why I love Portland. Today my mom and I ventured to
a brand new coffee shop around the corner from our house. When they handed us
our lattes I couldn’t help but notice the heart, painted in the coffee foam.
This is why I love Portland. When I was out to ice cream with a friend downtown
the other night, we sat in the park and watched a clown make balloon hats for
little kids, while an acapella group spontaneously performed for folks lounging
under the trees. This is why I love Portland. When I walked past the bookstore
earlier this week, I saw a homeless man hunched over a bright array of colored
Starbucks lids as he carefully painted an elaborate “anything helps” sign
complete with trees and a sunset. This is why I love Portland. Two weeks ago I
met a friend on the east side for big bowls of mac and cheese from a favorite
food cart. We huddled around our steaming bowls of cheesy elbows in the pouring
rain–happy as clams. This is why I love Portland. Last weekend we found a lost
dog on our trail run, which was running with another group of runners, before
catching up with us, before circling back to catch up with another group and
their dog, before finally finding it’s owner. This is why I love Portland. Yesterday,
when I met a friend for coffee, I overheard a guy behind me say, “I don’t know,
I can’t make any decisions until I have some caffeine.” This is why I love
Portland. When we went out to dinner mid week, we were seated next to our
next-door neighbors and ended up pushing our tables together. This is why I
love Portland. When it was sunny and almost 85 degrees I heard someone at the
store say, “I can’t stand this heat. What awful weather.” This is why I love
Portland. Bikes outnumber cars. This is why I love Portland.

When someone cuts you off on the freeway, chances are you
know them. This is why I love Portland. When I need to be across town in 15
minutes, I always make it. This is why I love Portland. When I am walking on
the sidewalk downtown, I typically have to step into the street to get around
the bikes that are piled a mile high on the bike racks. This is why I love
Portland. When I am buying something, there is no sales tax and so I don’t have
to do any math. This is why I love Portland. When someone comes up to me on the
street, they want me to vote, save the polar bears or adopt a sea otter. This
is why I love Portland. Now it is summer and I can finally go out and pick up
fresh veggies and big armfuls of flowers from the Saturday market. This is why
I love Portland. When I get up early and head out for a run, I see Dave’s
Killer Bread being delivered by Dave himself. This is why I love Portland. When
it rains, no one carries an umbrella. This is why I love Portland. When I am
grocery shopping I run into Nike coach and famed distance runner Alberto
Salazar in the produce section. This is why I love Portland. When you stop at a
drinking fountain, there is another fountain at your feet for your dog. This is
why I love Portland. When the clouds clear on a perfect day, you can see the
snow topped peaks of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood. This is why I love Portland.
It is green for as far as the eye can see. This is why I love Portland. You can
go to the beach and head up to the mountains in the same day. This is why I
love Portland. And at any time–day or night–you can always find someone to
share a cup. This is why I love Portland.

This cup is for all my Portland Peeps (who love this city as
much as I do)